Sotheby's has announced that its 7 December 2011 auction of Magnificent Jewels in New York will be highlighted by "The Light of Golconda", an exceptionally rare Golconda diamond ring featuring an old mine, cushion-shaped stone weighing 33.03 carats, D colour, internally flawless, and Type IIa (estimated in the region of $7m).
The auction follows in the footsteps of the Sun Drop fancy vivid yellow diamond which is to be offered on November 15.
As noted in its Gübelin report, the combination of the antique cutting style, superior quality and exceptional transparency of this special stone is both rarely encountered and evocative of the historic term 'Golconda'.
The compelling diamond was cut by the hand and eye of a skilled artisan - distinguishing it among the majority of large diamonds on the market today that have been cut with 20th century technological precision - and its unique shape gives it the appearance of being significantly larger than 33 carats.
 Mesmerising - The Light of Golconda diamond |
"The Light of Golconda is perhapsthe most beautiful diamond I have ever seen," commented Lisa Hubbard, Chairman, North & South America, Sotheby's International Jewelry Division.
"Every great diamond has something special about it, but this one is a truly magical stone. It has everything: its translucence is breathtaking, like looking through limpid ice water, and the antique cushion cut that spreads out along the hand makes the stone look different every time you see it.
"That combination of qualities gives the diamond seemingly endless sparkle and mesmerizing charm, drawing you in like the best works of art.
"Much more than a diamond quantified on a per-carat basis, The Light of Golconda is a truly special, transcendent object that deserves to be appreciated for its unique beauty." appreciated for its unique beauty."
Located in south central India in what is today the state of Hyderabad, the ancient Kingdom of Golcondaproduced some of the most cherished and desirable diamonds in the world. Once a vast fortress and gemtrading centre, the Kingdom no longer exists, but diamonds from the mines of Golconda are as sought aftertoday as they were in the time of the Mughal princes.
 This could be you... The Light of Golconda diamond as a collector could wear it |
The very name 'Golconda' conjures images of bejewelled princes, splendid palaces and exotic bazaars.
In addition to the history and romance inherent in these rare stones, they are set apart by unique chemical and physical properties: as type IIa diamonds, they are part of the less than 2% of the world's gems that are the most chemically pure.
Being virtually all carbon, they possess an exceptional and unmistakable transparency.
The world's most famous and historical diamonds are products of the vision and skill of their cutter. Much like an old master painter, the cutters of early stones like The Light of Golconda were artists who relied solely on their eyes and hands. The finished masterpiece was a faceted and polished stone that was transformed into an object of rare beauty.
The shape and antique cutting style of the present diamond indicate that it was likely fashioned in the 17th or 18th century, harkening back to some of the great Golconda diamonds that have appeared at auction, including the Arcots, the Indore Pears and the Idol's Eye.
